As the national campaign ‘Eating Disorders Awareness Week’ launches (20-26 February 2012), Suffolk’s community eating disorders team has vowed to help ‘break the silence’ surrounding these illnesses.

The team, who are part of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, have provided adult community eating disorders services in Suffolk and Thetford since 2003.

The services are run by a multi-disciplinary team comprising an expert mix of specialist nurses, psychologists, physiotherapy, specialist dieticians, doctors and excellent secretaries. The team supports not only people with eating disorders but also their loved ones and carers, who can find it very difficult to know how to offer support.

Student Cara Moran, 24, from Ipswich, was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa when she was 17. Cara was first treated by the child and adolescent mental health team, before being transferred to the adult care team.

Cara said: “It can be really hard for people with eating disorders to ‘break the silence’. We are often perfectionists, which makes it really hard to admit something is wrong… but recovery is so worthwhile.

“I got the help I needed from the Trust to get me where I am today. Eating disorders come with a lot of other complications and mental health problems. I myself was severely depressed and suffered with anxiety but now I am at university, I live with my boyfriend and I am enjoying life.

“Recovery is the hardest thing you’ll ever do but also the most rewarding. We all deserve to be happy and live our lives how we want, not how the eating disorder wants. My life has changed dramatically since I broke the silence and asked for help; I’m happy, I’m confident, I’m alive. The eating disorder will always be there in the background but it will never again control me – I will be the one in control of it.”

For further information about accessing Suffolk community eating disorders services, visit their team web page on the Trust’s website.